In 1999 she released her first album, Imaginaryland, consisting mostly of a capella covers. In 2000, Petra was struck by a car while crossing a street in Los Angeles; the resulting injuries forced her out of performance for several months. In 2005 she released the home-recorded album Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out (Bar/None), a complete a cappella rendition of The Who Sell Out. The project was suggested to Haden by longtime friend Mike Watt, who also gave her the eight-channel multi-track cassette recorder she used to make it. Funded in part by a Durfee grant and wanting to perform the work live, Haden created a new arrangement of The Who Sell Out for a ten woman a capella choir called Petra Haden & The Sellouts. The premier live performance of the full work occurred in July 2005 at the Ford Amphitheatre as a part of the "sound." concert series.
She has also released a self-titled collaboration with jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, and a collaboration with accordionist Miss Murgatroid (otherwise known as photographer Alicia J. Rose) entitled Bella Neurox.
She contributed to the recording of ØØ Void by drone metal band Sunn O))) and played on the debut and follow up album of Sunn o))) guitarist Greg Anderson's other doom metal band Goatsnake.
Of lately an acapella rendition of Let Your Love Shine is used in Prius commercials. The mp3 is available as a free download from the Toyota website.
sunrise
Petra Haden Lyrics
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You appear and the morning looks drab in my eyes
And then again I'll turn down love, having seen you again
Once more you'll disappear, my morning put to shame
You take away the breath I was keeping for sunrise
You appear and the morning looks drab in my eyes
And then again I'll turn down love, having seen you again
Sometimes I fear that this will go on my life through
Each day I spend in an echoed vision of you
And then again I'll turn down love, remembering your smile
My every day is spent, thinking of you all the while
The times I've let myself down, my heads spinning round
My eyes see only you
The chances I've lost, opportunities tossed
Away and into the blue
You take away the breath I was keeping for sunrise
You appear and the morning looks drab in my eyes
And then again I'll turn down love, having seen you again
Once more you'll disappear, my morning put to shame
The song "Sunrise" by Petra Haden is a beautiful and melancholic tribute to a lost love. The lyrics describe how the sight of this person can take away the singer's breath and make the morning seem dull and lifeless. The singer is haunted by memories of this person, constantly turning down love and becoming lost in thoughts of them. The song expresses the pain of unrequited love and how it can leave a person feeling incomplete and unfulfilled.
The repeated phrase "You take away the breath I was keeping for sunrise" is a powerful metaphor for how this person affects the singer's life. Sunrise is typically associated with new beginnings and fresh starts, but in this case, the singer's breath is taken away before they even have a chance to begin. It's as if this person has already stolen the singer's future by simply existing in their life. The fear that this cycle will continue throughout their life is palpable in the lyrics, as the singer feels trapped in an "echoed vision" of this person.
The final stanza of the song is particularly poignant, as the singer reflects on missed opportunities and lost chances. The use of the color blue is interesting here, as it often symbolizes sadness and melancholy. The image of these opportunities being tossed away into the blue suggests that the singer has let go of their chance at happiness and is resigned to a life of unfulfilled longing.
Overall, "Sunrise" is a deeply emotional song that speaks to the pain of unrequited love and the ways in which it can consume a person's life. The repeated phrases and melancholic melody create a sense of longing and sadness that is difficult to ignore.
Line by Line Meaning
You take away the breath I was keeping for sunrise
Your presence is so overwhelming that it leaves me breathless and blinds me to the beauty of the sunrise.
You appear and the morning looks drab in my eyes
When you're around, nothing else seems to shine as bright as you do, not even the sunrise.
And then again I'll turn down love, having seen you again
Even though I have feelings for you, I'll try to avoid them because I know it's painful when you disappear again.
Once more you'll disappear, my morning put to shame
You always leave me feeling empty and lonely again, even though the day has just begun.
Sometimes I fear that this will go on my life through
I'm scared that I'll be stuck in this spiral of unrequited love for you forever.
Each day I spend in an echoed vision of you
No matter what I do, my mind always comes back to thoughts of you.
And then again I'll turn down love, remembering your smile
Even though it hurts, I can't help but love you and remember the happiness your smile brings me.
My every day is spent, thinking of you all the while
Every day, every moment, I can't stop thinking about you and what could have been.
The times I've let myself down, my heads spinning round
There are moments when I feel weak for still holding onto my feelings for you, and it makes me dizzy.
My eyes see only you
No matter where I look, all I can see is you.
The chances I've lost, opportunities tossed
I've missed so many chances with other people because my heart is already taken by you.
Away and into the blue
These missed opportunities fade away into nothing, just like the blue sky.
Lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc.,
Written by: PETER TOWNSHEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind